Timelines/Fourth
Known events in the fourth timeline Before Nosgoth's recorded history (Accountable span of several millennia; minimum of 3000 years)'Janos Audron reveals in ''Blood Omen 2 that the Vampire-Hylden war lasted at least 1000 years, and states in Soul Reaver 2 that, ever since his race died out, he had been guarding the Reaver alone for "thousands of years" (minimum of 2000), accumulating to a minimum 3000 year span for the era before Nosgoth's recorded history. The remaining eras add up to roughly 3000 years. If both of Janos's estimates also apply to other timelines, this results in a calculable minimum total of 6000 accountable years of Nosgothic history. *At an indeterminate point in this era, an ancient, primitive cult commences its worship of the Elder God, building a statue representative of the Elder beneath the Swamp. Chris@Crystal's Greatest Hits at the Eidos Forums (by Divine Shadow) *At an indeterminate point before the Genesis of the Pillars, the Hylden give the primitive, cave-dwelling humans of Nosgoth "all that they have" (presumably, advancements in cultural and intellectual sophistication). *The Ancient Vampires, considered god-like and dominant over Nosgoth, begin to exalt the doctrine of the Elder God, devoutly worshipping the Wheel of Fate. **The Hylden oppose the Elder God, and refuse to submit to the Wheel. *''(Duration of ~1000 years)'' The '''Vampire-Hylden war: The ancient vampires declare war upon the Hylden in their god's name, battling their foes in an apocalyptic conflict for domination of Nosgoth. **During or before the war, the Vampire Citadel is constructed. **During the war, Janos Audron is born. **Under the direction of the Builder, the Hylden construct the Device to house the Mass, intending to channel the Mass' mental energy through Nosgoth's cities and eradicate all non-Hylden life. Before the weapon and the conduits essential to its operation can be completed, the Builder is incarcerated in the Eternal Prison. **The Hylden record the events which precipitated the war on murals in what will become the Avernus Catacombs. The prophecies regarding the Scion of Balance, the vampire champion and the Hylden champion are presumably formulated. *The raising of the Pillars: The ancient vampires banish the Hylden race to the Demon Realm (with, apparently, the exception of the Seer), and erect the nine Pillars of Nosgoth to secure this Binding. The Pillars are intrinsically tied to the spiritual and physical health of all Nosgoth. Soul Reaver 2: Historical Timeline at Dark Chronicle (by Marie Tryhorn) GLoK Interviews with Amy Hennig at Nosgothic Realm (by Raziel Fan), post #5 (by RazielFan) The ancient vampires construct the Subterranean Pillars Chamber. **The summoning of the Guardians: The first Circle of Nine are assembled at the Vampire Citadel, forming the Circle of Nine. The nine original Guardians swear to protect, represent and serve their individual Pillars. When a Guardian dies, the Pillars cull a successor, destined from birth to fulfill their role. The Pillars at the Soul Reaver 2 official site **Defeated, the Hylden unleash a final retaliation against the ancient vampires, afflicting them with the blood curse. Sterile and immortal, the ancient vampires are divorced from their god and the Wheel of Fate, and are plunged into despair. Many are driven to madness, and resort to suicide. *Janos Audron significantly grows in renown, and ultimately becomes known as "the greatest vampire to have ever existed". *Vorador is born. *'The forging of the Reaver:' At the behest of Janos Audron, Vorador forges the Reaver blade. Janos Audron is summoned to act as an honorary tenth Guardian - the keeper of the Reaver blade. **Vorador is sired as a vampire by Janos Audron, and becomes the first human in Nosgoth to whom the blood curse is passed. *("Thousands of years" before the pre-Blood Omen era) Presumably, the Air, Dark and Light Forges are constructed by the ancient vampires. They are sealed and forbidden to all but the prophesied bearer of the Reaver. The aeries which will encompass the Fire Forge and Janos Audron's Retreat are also presumably constructed. *Over time, the ancient vampires begin to die out. As the members of the Circle of Nine perish, they are entombed in the Vampire Citadel. **Moebius and Mortanius are born. They are abducted by the vampires, and schooled in the prophecies of the Scion of Balance and the champions. **In the Vampire Citadel, the Elder God speaks to Moebius for the first time. Moebius begins his secret worship of the Elder, and obtains his staff. Question and Answer with Amy Hennig at The Lost Worlds (by Ben Lincoln) **The human revolt: Through Moebius, the Elder God orchestrates a rebellion among the young human Guardians in defiance of their vampire masters. Moebius and Mortanius lead the revolt. Victorious, the Guardians of the human race claim full ownership of the Pillars. *The seminal events of vampire history are recorded in murals throughout the Vampire Citadel. *The ancient vampires' civilization crumbles. Their bloodline trickles away, until Janos Audron is left the sole surviving member of his original race. Humanity prospers as the vampires dwindle. *(Over further thousands of years subsequent to the ancient vampires' near-extinction) Over the millennia, Janos Audron continues to guard the Reaver alone, awaiting the arrival of the prophesied vampire messiah. Nosgoth's early history (Span of ~450 years) *At indeterminate points before or at the start of this era, the human Guardians of Balance, Conflict (Malek), Martyred Guardian of Dimension, Energy, the Mind, Nature and States, who will actively serve during Vorador's later attack on the Circle of Nine, are born. *At an indeterminate point before or during this era, a small cult devoted to a mysterious god - connected to tales of human possession - begins operating. *Nosgoth's vampire population increases, incurring the attention of the Circle. *Headquartered at the Sarafan Stronghold, the Circle of Nine forms and sponsors the monastic Sarafan brotherhood to counter the vampire menace. Malek serves as its leader and general. Interview With a Vampire: Blood Omen 2 at IGN (by Douglass C. Perry) *''(~30-40 years before ~0)'' The human Turel is born. Some questions about SR2 Sarafan at DCabDesign (by Lexy), post #3 (by Daniel Cabuco) **''(Afterwards, but during the same approximate timeframe)'' The humans Dumah, Melchiah, Rahab and Zephon are born. **''(Afterwards, but during the same approximate timeframe)'' The human Raziel is born. *Dumah, Melchiah, Rahab, Raziel, Turel and Zephon join the Sarafan, and are trained to be devoutly loyal to the Circle of Nine. **The six become the commanding commanders of the brotherhood. *'The vampire purge': The Sarafan wage war on Nosgoth's vampires. Malek leads the brotherhood to many victories, killing thousands of the vampire race. Several of Vorador's friends, lovers and vampire children are slain, but he and Janos Audron elude their attacks. The Players at SK: The Complete Guide To Legacy of Kain (archived at Dark Chronicle) *''(Shortly prior to ~0)'' The Sarafan commanders begin mustering their forces in Uschtenheim, plotting to kill Janos Audron and steal the Reaver. Moebius entrusts his staff to Turel. *''(~0)'' → The wraith Raziel emerges from the post-Blood Omen era, and travels to Janos Audron's Retreat. He blazes a trail through the Retreat to its balcony summit. **The Elder Kain also emerges from the post-Blood Omen era. **Dumah, Melchiah, Raziel, Turel and Zephon silently pursue the wraith Raziel as he progresses. **Raziel scales the Retreat, and meets Janos for the first time. They discuss the history of Nosgoth, and Janos tries to present Raziel with the physical Reaver. **The Sarafan commanders reach Janos's chamber. Janos teleports the wraith Raziel to the Fire Forge before confronting the Sarafan. As they battle, Raziel solves the forge and obtains the Fire Reaver. **Janos Audron is murdered by the Sarafan Raziel, who extracts his heart, the Heart of Darkness. As the Retreat collapses, Dumah retrieves the Reaver, and the commanders flee back to the Sarafan Stronghold. The wraith Raziel chases them south across Nosgoth, determined to avenge Janos. **''"Unseen forces"'' unleash Demons against the wraith Raziel to impede his progress. In the Subterranean Pillars Chamber, Raziel meets the Elder God, who proclaims him a failure. **Moebius retrieves his staff and the Reaver from the commanders, and - aware of impending events - co-ordinates an ambush against the wraith Raziel. He dispatches the commanders, unaware of Raziel's identity, throughout the Stronghold to prepare for battle against him. **The wraith Raziel returns to the Stronghold, and discovers the Reaver, laid out for him in an antechamber. Moebius and Malek confront him, and Moebius's Staff disables the Wraith Blade, forcing Raziel to wield the physical Reaver. He prepares to fight Malek, but is distracted by sounds of another disturbance nearby. **The slaughter of the Circle: Vorador fights back against the human Circle of Nine for their sponsorship of the Sarafan and the murder of Janos, infiltrating the Sarafan Stronghold and killing the Balance, Dimension, Energy, Mind, Nature and States Guardians. Malek attempts to rush to the Circle's protection, but is delayed by Moebius's instruction to keep Raziel at bay. Malek and Moebius trap Raziel, and Malek runs to confront Vorador, but is too late. Vorador defeats and humiliates him in combat. **Six new Guardians are born (variously Anarcrothe, Ariel, Azimuth, Bane, DeJoule and Nupraptor, or unseen predecessors to them). **Forced to proceed through the Stronghold, the wraith Raziel uses the Reaver to systematically slay Melchiah, Zephon, Rahab, Dumah and Turel respectively. **Raziel confronts and kills his former, Sarafan self with the Reaver in the Chapter House. **The [[third paradox|'third paradox']]: The Wraith Blade returns, embracing the Reaver, and exerts its own will, turning on Raziel. Raziel is impaled on the Reaver, his soul being drawn into the physical weapon. ** The Elder Kain emerges, and tears the Reaver from Raziel's chest just before it can fully consume him. Kain frantically warns Raziel not to resurrect Janos Audron, but Raziel sinks into the Spectral Realm, and remains in the Underworld for five centuries. → *In Avernus Cathedral, Mortanius punishes Malek for his failure, fusing Malek's soul to a suit of magical armor. Malek is condemned to serve as the unliving Ward of the Circle. *The corpses of the six martyred Sarafan commanders are interred in the Tomb of the Sarafan. *''("A few years" after ~0)'' Now armed with the unimbued Reaver, the Elder Kain searches for Raziel. Reflecting on his own history, he slaughters a number of Sarafan troops in a field near the Stronghold, and begins his infiltration of the building. Defiance Sarafan Warrior at spectraljin.com (by Daniel Cabuco) ** Kain makes his way through the Stronghold, finds the Balance Emblem's Balance fragment, and confronts Moebius in an underground chamber. Using his staff, Moebius incapacitates Kain, and unleashes shades against him. ** Kain finds the Flame fragment, and pursues Moebius to his tower. He interrogates Moebius to discern Raziel's location. Moebius advises him that Raziel is dangerous, and tells him to go west of the Pillars for evidence. ** Kain travels to the Pillars region, where he obtains the Dimension fragment, and reveals the Vampire Citadel. ** In the Citadel, Kain discovers images portraying the vampire and Hylden champions, depicting the vampire hero's fall. He fights the feral humans guarding the ruins, and obtains the Lightning fragment. ** Continuing, Kain finds murals depicting the human revolt, and two possible outcomes to the champions' battle. He obtains the Time fragment, and uses the complete Balance Emblem to unlock a chamber at the heart of the Citadel, where he meets the oracle of the ancient vampires (the Elder God). Purporting to assist him in stopping Raziel, the Elder transports Kain to the Blood Omen era. → *''("Centuries" before the Blood Omen era)'' Janos Audron's heart is taken to Avernus Cathedral, where it is formally christened "the Heart of Darkness". The vampires' enemies hide it away. Vorador repeatedly tries to recover the Heart over the centuries, but never succeeds. *The ongoing vampire purges force Vorador into hiding. He becomes lost to Nosgoth, ensconsing himself in his mansion in the Termogent Forest. *Vorador retrieves Janos's body from the rubble of the Retreat, and takes it to his mansion, where it is enshrined and protected in a dedicated crypt. *''(Long before ~450)'' The Sarafan disband, and their crusade ceases. Pre-Blood Omen era (Span of ~50 years) *''(Years before ~0)'' William the Just is born. At a young age, he inherits rulership of a kingdom in northern Nosgoth. *Moebius attempts to rally the villagers loyal to William, and secures an audience with the king. *''(~0)'' → Using his time-streaming device, Kain departs the Blood Omen era, emerging here, nearly 50 years in the past. **Kain travels to William's kingdom, intending to kill William on advice from the Oracle (Moebius). **In the stronghold of William the Just, Kain watches as Moebius provides William with the Soul Reaver and other weapons, and warns William of a vampire sent to slay him. **The [[first paradox|'first paradox']]: Kain attempts to slay William in battle. Both combatants are armed with incarnations of the Soul Reaver. **Kain succeeds in slaying William, and drinks his blood. Kain's Soul Reaver breaks William's in the battle. After being discovered as the assassin, Kain finds a second time-streaming device, and returns to his own time in the Blood Omen era. → *Devastated by William's murder, the people of William's realm swear a vengeful covenant to their fallen king, promising to eradicate Nosgoth's vampires once and for all. **Eventually, most of Nosgoth's human citizens ascribe to the same genocidal hatred of vampires. *''(~10)'' Under Moebius's leadership, Vampire hunters is formally founded, operating from the former Sarafan Stronghold. **The mercenary army heads a renewed, highly-successful vampire purge. William's corpse is taken to the Sarafan Stronghold, and is beatified in a dedicated chapel with the broken Soul Reaver. *Mortanius is possessed by the Hylden Lord. Miscellaneous Questions & Answers at SK: The Complete Guide To Legacy of Kain (archived at Dark Chronicle) *''(~20)'' → The Elder Kain emerges from the Soul Reaver era, and makes his way to the Pillars, to await Raziel. **Moebius snatches Raziel from the time-stream, and conveys him to the time-streaming chamber in the Sarafan Stronghold. Moebius attempts to fuel Raziel's hatred for Kain and the vampires. **In William's chapel, Raziel discovers the broken Soul Reaver, causing a Reaver-convergence. The Wraith Blade leeches Raziel's soul energy to restore the damaged physical sword. Raziel threatens Moebius with the Soul Reaver, but stays his hand, and leaves the reconstituted weapon behind. **Before leaving the Stronghold to meet Kain at the Pillars, Raziel encounters a mural recording the life of Janos Audron, demonizing him as a predator who terrorized Uschtenheim's population. **Possessing Mortanius's body, the Hylden Lord murders Ariel. Kain, her successor as Guardian of Balance, is born to an aristocratic family. **The corruption of the Pillars: Nupraptor, Ariel's lover, finds her corpse and realises that Mortanius was responsible for her death. Overwhelmed with grief and suspicions of treachery, Nupraptor plunges into madness, unleashing a psychic onslaught directed at the entire Circle of Nine. Throughout all Nosgoth, the minds of the sensitive and intellectual are blasted by waves of hatred. The Circle is permanently left mentally corrupted, and the Pillars physically crack and corrode. Raziel and the Elder Kain both witness this event from the Pillars' clearing. **Using the Wraith Blade, Raziel unlocks the Subterranean Pillars Chamber for the first time in centuries, and discovers the ancient vampires' murals within. He meets the Elder God again, who insists that he destroy Kain and the vampires. **In the Swamp, Raziel solves the Dark Forge to obtain the Dark Reaver, and meets Vorador. They discuss the vampire purges, the corruption of the Pillars, the Reaver, and Janos Audron. **On his return journey to the Stronghold, Raziel begins to denounce the Elder God. He solves the Light Forge, and obtains the Light Reaver. **The [[second paradox|'second paradox']]: At William's chapel, Raziel meets the Elder Kain, and takes up the Soul Reaver. **Describing the first timeline and the story of the Nemesis, Kain convinces Raziel not to kill him. The pull of history almost forces Raziel to impale Kain, but he succeeds in narrowly diverting the Reaver's course, instead fracturing William's sarcophagus. **Raziel surprises Moebius in the Circle's gathering-room, and forces him to operate the second time-streaming chamber, intending to travel back to a time before the Sarafan vampire purge began. Moebius deceives Raziel, sending him forward to the post-Blood Omen era instead. **The Elder Kain pursues Raziel to the post-Blood Omen era. → *Ariel's specter begins to haunt the Pillars of Nosgoth. *At an indeterminate point between the slaughter of the Circle and now, Azimuth is possessed by the Hylden. Using her powers over Dimension in conjunction with a time-streaming device stolen from Moebius, the Hylden summon the devolved vampire Turel back through time from the Soul Reaver era. Serving as a vessel for the Hylden, Turel is placed in captivity in the Avernus Catacombs, and worshipped as a god under the name Hash'ak'gik by the Hash'ak'gik cult and Avernus's cenobites. Answers to questions from the Defiance team at the Eidos forums (by Chris@Crystal) *The insane and deranged Guardians unleash their powers against Nosgoth, with malicious intent. Anarcrothe, Bane and DeJoule create the Dark Eden. Azimuth begins indiscriminately summoning malevolent demons and creatures in numerous cities, leaving the populace at their mercy. Nupraptor practices self-mutilation, sewing his own eyes and lips shut, and terrorizes pilgrims who journey to his retreat near Vasserbünde. Legacy of Kain: The Plot at SK: The Complete Guide To Legacy of Kain (archived at Dark Chronicle) Soul Reaver 2: Background Story at Dark Chronicle (by Marie Tryhorn) *King Ottmar of Willendorf holds a contest to celebrate his daughter's birthday, offering a royal favor to the creator of the finest doll in the realm. Among hundreds of submissions, Elzevir the Dollmaker's entry is proclaimed the winner. Elzevir takes a lock of the Princess' hair in payment. Warp's answers from Amy at the Eidos Forums (by blincoln) **Elzevir traps the Princess' soul in a burlap and silk doll. The Princess becomes lifeless, plunging Ottmar into despair. *Coorhagen, Kain's home city, is struck by the plague. *By now, the vampire race has been devastated by the crusades of Moebius's mercenary army, and Vorador is among the last survivors of his kind. *''(~50)'' Kain departs Coorhagen, embarking on a journey across Nosgoth. **Mortanius recruits a band of assassins to murder Kain. **At night, Kain attempts to seek shelter at a tavern in Ziegsturhl, but is denied entry. Forced to the road, he is slain by the hired assassins. **Kain's body is interred in his mausoleum in the Cemetery. Blood Omen era (Span of ~1 year) *''(During, or shortly before, ~0)'' Azimuth begins summoning and unleashing demons on Avernus, setting the city on fire. Trade from Avernus to Vasserbünde ceases. *''(~0)'' In the Underworld, Mortanius offers Kain the opportunity to avenge himself. Kain hastily accepts. Mortanius resurrects Kain using the Heart of Darkness. **Kain awakes in his mausoleum, and kills his assassins near Ziegsturhl. Informed by Mortanius that the true culprits still live, and seeking a cure to his vampirism, he meets the specter of Ariel at the Pillars of Nosgoth, who instructs him to destroy the corrupt Circle of Nine and restore the Pillars. ** → Raziel tricks the Elder God, and escapes the Underworld. In recompense, the Elder God retracts all planar portals in Nosgoth. Raziel begins to explore the Cemetery in the Spectral Realm, learns how to possess corpses, and battles the Elder's Archons. ** Raziel fights members of Moebius's mercenary army, passes through Kain's Mausoleum, and uses teleporters in the Cemetery to re-obtain the Light and Dark Reavers from the Vampire Citadel. ** Traveling to the Pillars, Raziel meets Ariel. Again using teleporters to the Citadel, he defeats the specters of the original Nature, Original Guardian of Conflict, Original Guardian of the Mind and Dimension Guardians to obtain the Fire and Air Reavers. He enters the Termogent Forest, heading towards Vorador's Mansion. **Kain travels through Nachtholm and Vasserbünde, and infiltrates Nupraptor's Retreat. He beheads Nupraptor and returns the head to the Pillars. The Pillar of the Mind is restored. **Passing through the plague-ridden Coorhagen, Kain travels to northern Nosgoth and flies to Malek's Bastion. He attempts to destroy Malek, but fails. Kain travels to the Oracle's Cave in search of a means to defeat Malek. **Moebius, posing as the Oracle of Nosgoth, advises Kain to seek Vorador in the Termogent Forest. **Kain meets Vorador, who gives Kain his Signet Ring. **Kain travels to Dark Eden and kills Bane and DeJoule, while Vorador destroys Malek. ** Raziel reaches the mansion, and searches for Vorador. He makes use of a teleporter to return to the Citadel, where he defeats the original States and Death Guardians, and obtains the Water Reaver. He meets Vorador in the crypt, who shows him Janos's body, and directs him to Avernus Cathedral. **Kain returns Bane's Antler Headdress, DeJoule's Insulating Cloak and Malek's Helmet to the Pillars. The Pillars of Conflict, Energy and Nature are restored. **Kain journeys south through Avernus. In Avernus Cathedral, he discovers the Soul Reaver, and claims it for his own. With the Reaver, he slays Azimuth, and obtains the time-streaming device she stole from Moebius. **Kain returns Azimuth's Eye to the Pillars. The Pillar of Dimension is restored. ** Raziel navigates Avernus and reaches the Cathedral. Via a teleporter, he defeats the remaining specters of the Energy and Time Guardians, obtaining the Earth Reaver. In the Avernus Catacombs, he encounters the Hash'ak'gik cult leading worship to Turel. He discovers, battles and kills Turel, devouring his soul and Hylden energy to obtain enhanced telekinesis. By speaking to Mortanius, he learns that Kain possesses the Heart of Darkness. ** → The Elder Kain emerges from Nosgoth's early history in the Vampire Citadel. He travels to Avernus Cathedral, and meets Raziel. Raziel, galvanized by Hylden souls and believing he is the Hylden champion, insists on fighting the Elder Kain. ** Raziel defeats the Elder Kain, ripping the Heart of Darkness from his chest, and blasting him through a dimensional rift into the Demon Realm. Shocked - in disbelief at his own actions - Raziel returns to Vorador's Mansion. **Moebius coerces the younger Kain to travel back in time and assassinate William the Just. Kain utilizes the time-streaming device, departing for the pre-Blood Omen era. → **Despite sustaining considerable losses in the process, the mercenary army invades Vorador's Mansion and successfully captures Vorador. ** At the Mansion, Raziel meets Moebius, who congratulates him on the Elder Kain's death, and charges his mercenaries to attack Raziel. Moebius teleports away to oversee Vorador's execution. **→ Having killed William the Just, the younger Kain returns to the Blood Omen era to find that his own actions enabled the renewed vampire purge headed by Moebius. Traveling south of Stahlberg, he watches as Moebius's mob publicly executes Vorador, the last vampire in Nosgoth (besides Kain). **Fighting Moebius's mercenary army and illusory enemies conjured by Moebius, Kain defeats and beheads the Time Streamer. **The younger Kain travels to the Pillars at Mortanius's invitation. He witnesses Mortanius slay Anarcrothe in battle, then battles Mortanius himself. The Hylden Lord transforms Mortanius's body as he dies; the younger Kain defeats the Transformed body. He returns Moebius's Hourglass, Anarcrothe's Scales and Mortanius's Death Orb to the Pillars, and the Pillars of Time, States and Death are restored. ** Using the Heart of Darkness and his own soul energy, Raziel resurrects Janos Audron. Janos conveys them both to the Vampire Citadel, and directs Raziel to the Spirit Forge. Raziel thwarts the Elder God's attempts to extinguish the Forge, and solves it. The Forge summons the soul of Ariel (presumably from the Soul Reaver era) and those of Nosgoth's other deceased Balance Guardians. Raziel consumes the souls, obtaining the Spirit Reaver. Question and Answer with Jen, Richard, and Kyle at The Lost Worlds (by Ben Lincoln) ** The collapse of the Pillars: Ariel finally informs the younger Kain that he is the Balance Guardian, and he is left with a choice: sacrifice himself to restore the Pillar of Balance and Nosgoth, or refuse the sacrifice and trigger the Pillars' total collapse. Kain chooses the latter option, electing to rule Nosgoth in its damnation. Janos and Raziel witness this event from the Vampire Citadel, and the resulting rift enables the Hylden Lord to possess Janos. Post-Blood Omen era (Span of ~500 years) * (~0) Through Janos's body, the Hylden Lord battles and destroys Raziel. He departs the Vampire Citadel to open the Hylden Gate. Raziel re-materializes within the Spirit Forge, again trapped in the Spectral Realm under the Elder God's auspices. **The Elder God resurrects Moebius. ** Heartless, but still alive (unbeknownst to Raziel and his enemies), the Elder Kain awakens in the Demon Realm, and is taunted by the Hylden. He kills several demons, and uses a rift to return to the Material Realm. ** The Elder Kain slays Moebius in the Vampire Citadel's Spirit Forge, whose soul is then finally consumed by Raziel in the Spectral Realm. Raziel realizes that he himself was both the vampire and Hylden champions. Possessing Moebius's corpse, he enters the Material Realm, and tricks Kain into impaling him on the Reaver blade. ** Raziel reveals himself to Kain, and uses the Wraith Blade to heal Kain's soul of Nupraptor's corruption, ending the cycle of his own destiny. The Reaver completely consumes Raziel. Now imbued with his soul-devouring essence, it is henceforth known as the Soul Reaver. ** The Purification of Kain: Now cognizant of the Elder God, Kain battles it. The Elder God topples the Spirit Forge in an attempt to destroy Kain, but fails. The Elder Kain gazes out at Nosgoth and the wreckage of the Pillars, contemplating Raziel's sacrifice and his newfound hope. **Embracing his vampirism, the younger Kain rejoices, establishing a throne at the ruined Pillar of Balance. In Blood Omen 2 (fourth timeline), Kain expresses a belief that "the curse of vampirism is no mark of divinity", contrary to his epiphany at the end of Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain (second timeline). As such, his motives for refusing the sacrifice may have been altered in this timeline. *The Hylden Lord enters the Material Realm. Janos is imprisoned in the Device. *Owing to the Pillars' destruction, demons become more commonplace in the Material Realm, and mutants begin to evolve in the Swamp. *The Sarafan Stronghold is assaulted by demons. Moebius's mercenary army evolves into the demon hunters. *''(~100)'' → Raziel emerges from the pre-Blood Omen era, arriving in the Sarafan Stronghold. He discovers a statue commemorating Moebius, holding aloft the severed head of Vorador. **After discovering Moebius's statue, Raziel encounters and taunts an illusion conjured by Moebius - posing as his martyred spirit - intended to influence Raziel into destroying Kain. **Raziel encounters the specter of Ariel at the Pillars of Nosgoth, who laments Kain's decision, and her own fate. He challenges her regarding the integrity of the Circle. **Passing north through the Subterranean Pillars Chamber, Raziel finds that the Elder God has physically thrived since the Pillars' collapse. He and the Elder acrimoniously debate Kain's survival and its repercussions. **The Elder Kain of the pre-Blood Omen era, spared by Raziel in this timeline, emerges in the past and pursues Raziel. **After speaking with Ariel, Raziel encounters the Elder Kain outside the ruins of Janos Audron's Retreat, who discusses the nature of time, paradoxes and the malevolent forces subverting their destinies before departing. **Raziel obtains the Air Reaver from the Air Forge. **Using the time-streaming chamber in the Swamp, Raziel travels back in time to Nosgoth's early history, hoping to meet Janos Audron. → *'Vorador's resurrection:' Vorador is resurrected by an unknown party. FAQ at The Lost Worlds (by Ben Lincoln) The Resurrection of Vorador at The Lost Worlds (by Ben Lincoln)This event was cut from Legacy of Kain: Defiance, and although it does take place in this timeline nevertheless, it is uncertain when. It has been tentatively positioned after ~100 based on Kain's Soul Reaver 2 narrative assertion that history adheres to "the path of least resistance". Had Vorador's resurrection occurred later than ~100, Raziel could not have encountered his head in the Sarafan Stronghold. *''(Duration of "decades", ends at ~200)'' The vampire-Sarafan war: Vorador and the younger Kain create the vampire army, bent on conquering Nosgoth. Inspired by the Sarafan, the Hylden Lord forms the Sarafan in response, seizing the city of Meridian. Bloodomen 2 (Story) (archived at Dark Chronicle) *Faustus, Magnus, Marcus and Sebastian are sired by Vorador or his direct descendants. Faustus at Dark Chronicle (by Marie Tryhorn) Magnus at Dark Chronicle (by Marie Tryhorn) Marcus at Dark Chronicle (by Marie Tryhorn) Sebastian at Dark Chronicle (by Marie Tryhorn) *Umah is sired by Vorador at an indeterminate point between now and Kain's awakening in Meridian. *Kain asks Marcus to join the vampire army, but Marcus declines. In response, Kain breaches Marcus's haven and tries to kill him. Unbeknownst to Kain, Marcus narrowly survives, and flees into hiding. * The vampire army embarks south on a path of conquest towards Meridian, taking the cities of Ziegsturhl, Freeport and Provance. *''(~200)'' Sebastian betrays the vampire army to side with the Hylden Lord and the Sarafan, orchestrating an ambush which devastates Kain's forces. **On the night before the battle, Magnus silently departs the vampire army's camp, and makes a solo attempt on the Hylden Lord's life. He fails, and the Hylden Lord transports him to the Eternal Prison. ** The Battle of Meridian: The vampire army is fatally routed at Meridian. Equipped with the Nexus Stone, the Hylden Lord repels the power of the Soul Reaver, and defeats Kain. He throws Kain's body off a cliff, claiming the Soul Reaver and leaving him for dead. Blood Omen 2: Background Story at Dark Chronicle (by Marie Tryhorn) *The Sarafan order's uncontested regime in Nosgoth begins. Faustus and Marcus join the Sarafan. *Vorador forms the Cabal. Kain's body is found by the Cabal and taken to Meridian. *''(~400)'' Kain wakes from his long hibernation in the Slums of Meridian, and meets Umah. Umah introduces him to life in Nosgoth under Sarafan rule. They become separated, and Kain is left to travel through the Smuggler's Den. ** Faustus pursues Kain through the Den, revealing himself when Kain approaches the Lower City. Kain fights and kills Faustus, and absorbs his veins, obtaining the Jump Dark Gift. ** Kain negotiates the Lower City, and encounters, but fails to recognize, Sebastian. He continues on to Sanctuary, the Cabal's headquarters, and meets Vorador. **Umah investigates the Industrial Quarter, discovering the Nexus Stone in the Main Factory before being captured by guards. She is taken to the Sarafan Keep for impending public execution. ** Charged with Umah's rescue, Kain travels to the Upper City to find the Bishop of Meridian. He is accosted by Marcus. They fight in Meridian Cathedral, and Marcus is killed. Kain absorbs his veins to obtain the Charm Dark Gift. ** Infiltrating the Sarafan Keep, Kain rescues Umah. Before they can leave, they are confronted by the Hylden Lord. Umah teleports them safely back to Sanctuary at the last minute. ** Kain infiltrates the Industrial Quarter and obtains the Nexus Stone in the Main Factory, killing Sebastian to obtain the Berserk Dark Gift. The Main Factory explodes, but Kain is saved by the bald Cabal vampire. ** At Vorador's direction, Kain traverses the Canyons in search of the Seer. She allows him to drink her blood, and he gains the Telekinesis Dark Gift. The Hylden Lord attacks the Seer's Cottage, and the Seer teleports Kain to the Device, where he meets the Beast (Janos Audron). ** Following the Beast's advice, Kain journeys to the Eternal Prison and slays the Builder, drinking his blood. Before leaving, he kills the insane Magnus, and obtains the Immolate Dark Gift. ** Kain descends into the heart of the Device, and uses the Builder's blood to poison the Mass. Janos is restored to his natural form, and teleports himself and Kain to Sanctuary as the Device ruptures. ** The Cabal agrees to launch a final attack on the Hylden City. Kain and Umah travel to the Wharves, and Umah - fearing his lust for absolute power - steals the Nexus Stone from him. Believing Umah to be another Sarafan spy, Kain kills her and retrieves the Stone. ** Kain infiltrates the Hylden City and destroys the Shield Guardian, enabling Vorador and Janos to join him. Kain and Vorador argue over Umah's death, but the Cabal is ambushed by the Hylden Lord. Janos tends to Vorador while Kain pursues the Hylden Lord. ** The Death of the Hylden Lord: Kain and the Hylden Lord battle above the Hylden Gate. Kain casts the Nexus Stone into the Gate, causing the portal between the Demon and Material Realms to close. Janos joins the fight, enabling Kain to recover the Soul Reaver, but is cast into the Demon Realm. Kain slays the Hylden Lord and departs, pondering his plans for empire, as the Gate, and the remaining Hylden invaders, are destroyed. *''(~500)'' The raising of the lieutenants: Kain infiltrates the Tomb of the Sarafan, raising the six Sarafan commanders to act as his vampire lieutenants. Raziel, Turel, Dumah, Rahab, Zephon and Melchiah are reborn in respective order. Soul Reaver era (Accountable span of ~2000 years) *''(~0)'' A new vampire race is born as the lieutenants sire the Razielim, Dumahim, Melchahim, Rahabim, Turelim and Zephonim clans. Kain's empire is founded. Soul Reaver: Background Story at Dark Chronicle (by Marie Tryhorn) **The vampires begin to destroy Nosgoth's major human kingdoms. Vampire hunters rise to counter their menace. *''("Centuries" before ~2000)'' In defiance of Kain's empire, human architects construct what will become the Silenced Cathedral, in hopes of wiping out the vampire race by blasting a deadly hymn across Nosgoth. **At an indeterminate point during or after its construction, the vampires (chiefly Zephon and the Zephonim) slaughter the Cathedral's inhabitants and take it for their own. *''(~100)'' By now, the vampires consider humanity "tamed" and "thoroughly domesticated". At an indeterminate point, the Abbey and the City become two of the last vestiges of safety for the human race in Nosgoth. *The Sanctuary of the Clans is constructed as a shrine around the Pillars of Nosgoth by slaves. The Smokestack is also built. *Growing increasingly bored over time, Kain and the lieutenants pit the lesser vampires of the empire against each other for their own amusement. The Council is formally founded. *''(After the Blood Omen era, but prior to ~1000)'' The Abyss manifests in the Lake of the Dead. **Kain's descendants utilize the Abyss as an execution ground for traitors and weaklings in their society. *''("Centuries" before ~2000, and before ~1000 at the latest)'' Kain finds the Chronoplast in the Oracle's Cave, and uses its mechanisms to discover his own future, Nosgoth's history, and the nature of time, destiny and free will. *''("Centuries" before ~2000, and most likely before ~1000)'' Dumah and the Dumahim retreat into Nosgoth's northern wilderness. The mountain stronghold which will later become known as the Ruined City is constructed, and becomes home to the Dumahim. *At an indeterminate point, Raziel and his clan establish a stronghold which serves as their clan territory. *At an indeterminate point, the Priestess is born. **At an indeterminate point, vampire worshippers begin to operate in Nosgoth under the leadership of the Priestess, and deify Kain. *Raziel surpasses Kain in stages of pupation, growing bat-like wings. *''(~1000)'' While feeding on a female, Raziel suddenly realizes his captive is not human. She reveals herself to be a construct of the elder gods, and tells Raziel of his imminent destiny to be destroyed in the Abyss and reborn to exact revenge on Kain. Raziel slaughters the construct and burns her remains. **Kain and the Council meet at the Sanctuary of the Clans. Raziel reveals his wings. Deducing that Raziel's temporary destruction will allow him to claim his own role as Scion of Balance, Kain brutally rips Raziel's wings from his body. **'Raziel's execution': The members of the Council travel to the Lake of the Dead, where, on Kain's orders, Dumah and Turel cast Raziel into the Abyss. Turel assumes Raziel's former position as the empire's second-in-command. **Kain abandons his empire searching for a way to restore Nosgoth. The leaderless empire fragments as the Vampire clans turn on each other. *''(By "Centuries" after ~1000)The Razielim, heavily persecuted by the other clans evolve wings, but quickly begin to devolve. **The humans seize their opportunity to strike back and attempt to free their race from vampire rule. Cities are rebuilt, skills are relearned and humanity progresses to the point where it becomes a potent threat, launching a devastating attack on the empire itself. **Realizing the threat they are faced with, the warring vampire clans band together once again and a new War for Nosgoth begins... *Whether eradicated by Kain or absented for other reasons, Raziel's clan ostensibly disappears from Nosgoth. Raziel's Clan Territory becomes derelict. *Nosgoth is increasingly wracked by cataclysms as a result of the Pillars' destruction and the vampires' practices, and its landscape becomes significantly warped over time. As part of these upheavals, the Abbey is drowned by deluges, and the Tomb of the Sarafan is exposed and becomes accessible. *Kain's surviving lieutenants and their clans continue to devolve. They become practically unrecognizable as the centuries pass. **Becoming increasingly ghoul-like to their own displeasure, Melchiah and the Melchahim relocate to the Necropolis, and begin replenishing their ranks from the long-dead corpses therein. **Becoming increasingly spider-like, Zephon's body gradually becomes one with the Silenced Cathedral. **Becoming increasingly piscatorial, Rahab and the Rahabim gradually overcome their natural vulnerability to water, gaining the ability to swim. They retreat from the surface to dwell in the Drowned Abbey. *("Centuries" before ~2000, but after ~1000)'' The vampire hunters launch a successful surprise attack on Dumah's mountain stronghold, decimating the Dumahim, and slaying Dumah himself. **Leaderless, the few surviving Dumahim are reduced to roving scavengers. *Rahab is personally informed by Kain that he is destined to die at Raziel's hands. *''(During, or shortly before, ~2000)'' Vampire hunters attack the Silenced Cathedral, and are repelled by the Zephonim. One makes it to Zephon's lair with a flamethrower, but is severed in half by Zephon. *''(~2000)No direct informations is given in game for the length of time Raziel was imprisoned in the Abyss, however in deleted dialogue, the Elder God is directly questioned by Raziel on the subject and responds ''"A millennium, or a moment? We who stand outside the rim of time dwell not in past or future ages; there is only the now" - perhaps suggesting a figure close to a thousand years. Subsequently a Blood Omen 2 developer interview suggested that the main gameplay events of that title occurred "1600 years before Raziel emerges from the void to begin LOK:SR" - indirectly implying that Raziel was in the Abyss for 500 years. The developers of Nosgoth have since indicated that the cut dialogue is the more valid figure for the time-frame and that the true figure is closer to 1000 years than 500. After suffering relentless agony in the Abyss, Raziel is resurrected as a wraith by the Elder God. Now the Elder's symbiotic agent, he is obliged to destroy Kain and his brethren in his quest for vengeance. Blood Omen 2 Q&A at GameSpot (by Sam Newman) **Guided out of the Underworld by the Elder God, Raziel explores the wasteland of Nosgoth. Beyond the Sanctuary of the Clans and the Abyss, he is enraged to discover his clan territory desolate, his clan apparently dead. **Witnessing Melchahim murdering a human, Raziel pervades the Necropolis, and reaches Melchiah's lair. He kills Melchiah and devours his soul, attaining the ability to phase through gates. **At the Elder God's urging, Raziel infiltrates the Sanctuary of the Clans, and encounters Kain awaiting him at the Pillars of Nosgoth. They battle, and Kain strikes Raziel with the Soul Reaver. The Soul Reaver shatters on impact. Satisfied at this outcome, Kain departs. **Raziel succumbs to his wounds and slips into the Spectral Realm, where he inextricably bonds with the spirit liberated from the Soul Reaver - the Wraith Blade. He meets Ariel, who agrees to conspire with him in ensuring Kain's destruction. **Raziel ascends the Silenced Cathedral and reaches Zephon's lair. Using the deceased vampire hunter's flamethrower and Zephon's eggs, he immolates Zephon. By consuming Zephon's soul, he gains the ability to scale walls. **Raziel infiltrates the Tomb of the Sarafan, and rediscovers the Council's forgotten heritage as the former leaders of the Sarafan brotherhood. Beneath the Tomb, he destroys the Tomb Guardian and obtains the telekinetic force projectile ability. **In the Drowned Abbey, Raziel makes use of sunlight to destroy Rahab, and gains the ability to swim from devouring his brother's soul. **Raziel reaches Dumah's throne room, and pulls the stakes from Dumah's chest, reviving him. Luring Dumah to a Furnace, Raziel destroys him and devours his soul, attaining the constrict ability. **In pursuit of Kain, Raziel journeys through the Oracle's Cave and into the Chronoplast. He witnesses his own recent past and potential future in the Chronoplast visions. **Raziel reaches the heart of the Chronoplast complex, where Kain awaits. He battles, but fails to defeat, Kain, who activates the Chronoplast's portal, and passes through to the pre-Blood Omen era. Raziel follows. → *''(After ~1000, and possibly after ~2000)'' From this era, Turel is summoned backwards through time by Azimuth to the Avernus Catacombs, where he will act as the deity worshipped by the Hash'ak'gik cult. *''(After ~2000)'' Ariel's specter is presumably drawn backwards through time from this era to the Blood Omen era, where it will unite with the souls of her predecessors in the Spirit Forge, and become the Spirit Reaver. Ariel at Dark Chronicle (by Marie Tryhorn) (Total span of at least ~6000 years) Annotations References (fourth timeline)